SAITAMA, Japan — Patrick Baldwin Jr. was an enigma of this 12 months’s draft.
His draft inventory plummeted after an underwhelming one-and-done season on the College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee that was shortened by an damage. Those that had Baldwin on their radar when he was the highest recruit out of highschool acknowledged his expertise and noticed his potential upside, however that lingering ankle damage that hampered him during the last two years made him a bet.
Nonetheless, the Warriors took a swing at Baldwin with their No. 28 decide, hoping that his excessive basketball IQ and clear taking pictures mechanics might put him able to develop right into a dependable NBA participant someday and be a part of the workforce’s future.
With two preseason video games below his belt and an ankle damage within the rearview mirror, Baldwin seems to be trending in the proper route.
The Warriors’ two exhibition video games in opposition to the Wizards in Japan shared a glimpse at Baldwin’s potential as he confirmed nice court docket consciousness and strong decision-making in each video games in 25 minutes of motion.
After recording seven factors on 2-of-3 taking pictures in eight minutes in his debut Friday, Baldwin regarded much more snug Sunday. He scored 12 factors, going 4-for-5 from deep, and he had six rebounds and completed plus-23 in 17 minutes.
One spotlight of his got here within the fourth quarter when he intercepted a Wizards’ move and tossed the ball to Mac McClung who took it house with a fast-break dunk.
“He was terrific,” Kerr stated after the NBA Japan Video games’ finale. “He’s a extremely good basketball participant. He understands the sport, you possibly can see along with his circulate, his moments, his taking pictures, his passing… He simply will get it, he has a extremely good really feel.”
Kerr didn’t know what to anticipate from Baldwin heading into coaching camp.
Baldwin dislocated his ankle early in his senior 12 months of highschool. Regardless of having quite a few provides to school basketball powerhouses, comparable to Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina, Baldwin opted to play for his dad in Milwaukee, the place his ankle persevered.
He performed in solely 11 video games, averaging 12.1 factors, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest, in his lone faculty season. And his NBA Draft Mix outcomes from Might had been lower than stellar.
However the Warriors noticed one thing particular in Baldwin and favored the actual fact he was a coach’s son, which is a part of the rationale why they took him within the first spherical.
Shortly after the draft, Baldwin stated his ankle was about 95% healed. He missed summer time league however step by step elevated his workload this offseason to arrange himself for coaching camp. And now, he stated he’s “assured” in his ankle.
Within the weeks when Kerr was away from the workforce’s follow facility, he heard rumblings about how good the 19-year-old might be.
“On the finish of the summer time, all the coaches who had been working with him once I was out of city, they had been raving about him,” he stated. “They prepped me for it, stated this man has good really feel and be a extremely good match with us.”
But it surely wasn’t till final week that Kerr might see for himself the promise Baldwin possesses.
His early evaluation on the rookie?
“I’m very impressed,” Kerr stated.
Kerr was additionally happy with the workforce’s valiant fourth-quarter effort throughout which the Warriors’ bench outscored the Wizards 30-10. McClung, right here on a training-camp deal, scored all 9 of his factors, going 4-for-6 from the sphere, within the ultimate 12 minutes. Baldwin added six to assist Golden State safe its second win of the preseason.
“To return out right here and catch a win and outscore them 30-10 within the fourth quarter, I feel that’s a step in the proper route for us,” Baldwin stated earlier than getting on a bus to the airport. “And to be a part of that group is fairly cool and it simply offers us extra confidence transferring ahead.”